Moothoor Muslims oppose construction of Buddhist vihare

[TamilNet, Monday, 30 July 2007, 01:45 GMT]Muslim residents living close to the metal quarry located at third milepost in Moothoor division are taking action against the construction of a Buddhist Vihare in their village, and Dr.A.M.Thoufeek, Chairman of the Moothoor Pradesya Sabaha, said that the Muslim people consider the attempt to build the Buddhist temple an act of aggression, media reports in Moothoor said.

Dr.Thoufeek is also a former Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) parliamentarian of the Trincomalee district.

SLA has stopped removing limestone granite from the said metal quarry and several hundred Muslim people employed in the quarry have become jobless overnight.

SLA authorities have told local Muslim leaders that the ban on removing limestone granite from the quarry has been imposed on the instruction of higher authorities, according to media reports.

Now steps are being taken to construct a Buddhist Vihare on the top of the quarry under the pretext that some ancient Buddhist scriptures had been found on the rock.

Dr. Thoufeek had said that he would never allow the construction of the vihare in the area, media reports said.